Method of packaging and deploying marine vibrator

ABSTRACT

Methods are provided to package and deploy a marine vibrator for use in connection with marine seismic surveys. Marine vibrators are provided with a number of buoyancy configurations with corresponding techniques for controlling the submergence depth of the marine vibrators. An exemplary marine vibrator comprises a positively buoyant hydrodynamic tow body, comprising: a low frequency electro-acoustic projector; a power electronics system; a control-monitoring electronics system; and a pressure compensation system, wherein the hydrodynamic tow body comprises one or more active control surfaces to adjust a submergence depth and a roll attitude of the hydrodynamic tow body. Additional embodiments employ a free-flooding, load-bearing frame with positive or negative buoyancy.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/215,463, filed Sep. 8, 2015, entitled “Method of Packaging and Deploying Marine Vibrator,” incorporated by reference herein. The present application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/421,006, filed Feb. 11, 2015 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,625,598), and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/700,879, filed Apr. 30, 2015 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,562,982), each entitled “Coherent Sound Source for Marine Seismic Surveys,” and each incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a method of packaging and deploying low frequency underwater sound projectors for use in connection with marine seismic surveys.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Sound waves are the primary tool used to search for oil and gas reserves beneath the Earth's strata. Sound waves are convenient because they can propagate over long distances and penetrate into complex layered media to obtain important information regarding the presence, composition, and physical extent of reserves. This is the case for surveys conducted on both land and water. Although a variety of methods have been used to generate sound waves in water, the primary technique over the past three decades is the use of air guns, which expel short bursts of high-pressure air and constitute an impulsive (i.e., incoherent) source of acoustic energy. The waves penetrate into the strata and differentially reflect back towards the surface where they are recorded by an array of receivers (i.e., hydrophones).

Generally speaking, marine seismic surveys are performed by towing 12 to 48 air guns in the form of multiple sub-arrays 300 to 500 m behind a survey vessel at depths on the order of 1 to 10 m. A series of surface floats are used to suspend the air guns (i.e., one float per sub-array) at the prescribed depth. An umbilical containing strength members, electrical power cables, a duplex data transfer medium (i.e., copper or fiber optic link), and a high-pressure air hose is used to tow the surface float from a survey vessel. A secondary purpose of the umbilical is to route high-pressure air to the air gun array, as well as electrical power to control various aspects of the array, and provide means to command the array and obtain monitoring data from various engineering sensors to ensure satisfactory operation is evident. Typical tow speeds range from 1.5 to 2.5 m/s which facilitates survey rates on the order of 10 km²/day. For more information on marine seismic surveys, please consult “Marine Geophysical Operations: An Overview,” International Association of Geophysical Contractors (June 2009), or “An Overview of Marine Seismic Operations,” International Association of Oil and Gas Producers, Report No. 448 (April 2011), each incorporated by reference herein.

In recent years, the oil and gas industry has considered alternatives to air guns, and in particular using marine vibrators that can provide a coherent (i.e., non-impulsive) source of acoustic energy. Typically, applications and/or motivations to use marine vibrators in lieu of air guns stem from needing a better seismic signature in certain deep-water operational environments, performing marine seismic surveys in environmentally sensitive areas, and having an improved source for shallow water (i.e., transition zone) applications where air gun arrays perform sub-optimally. Further, attributes of marine vibrator-based seismic surveys that are attractive include (1) having command actuated depth control to mitigate issues related to signal-to-noise ratio at low frequencies and ghosting, and (2) having little to no surface expression (i.e., no floats) given that 40% of the Earth's oil and gas reserves are located in the Arctic where floating ice is a hazard.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Illustrative embodiments of the present invention provide methods of packaging and deploying marine vibrators. In one exemplary embodiment, a marine vibrator comprises a positively buoyant hydrodynamic tow body, comprising: a low frequency electro-acoustic projector; a power electronics system; a control-monitoring electronics system; and a pressure compensation system, wherein the hydrodynamic tow body comprises one or more active control surfaces to adjust a submergence depth and a roll attitude of the hydrodynamic tow body.

In at least one exemplary embodiment, a marine vibrator comprises a free-flooding, load-bearing frame including internal components, comprising: a low frequency electro-acoustic projector; a power electronics system; a control-monitoring electronics system; and a pressure compensation system, wherein the frame and the internal components are rendered positively buoyant using buoyancy foam positioned within the frame so that a center-of-buoyancy of the frame and the internal components is higher in elevation than a center-of-gravity of the frame and the internal components.

In one or more embodiments, a marine vibrator comprises a free-flooding, load-bearing frame, comprising: a low frequency electro-acoustic projector; a power electronics system; a control-monitoring electronics system; and a pressure compensation system, wherein the marine vibrator is negatively buoyant and wherein a submergence depth of the marine vibrator is controlled using one or more winches positioned in a surface float that suspends the marine vibrator. In at least one embodiment, a tow-point of the marine vibrator is from a forward end of the surface float, while in another exemplary embodiment, the tow-point is from a forward end of the frame.

As noted above, illustrative embodiments described herein provide significant improvements relative to conventional marine vibrators by employing various buoyancy configurations with corresponding techniques for controlling the submergence depth of the marine vibrators. These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A through 1C present elevation drawings showing three different exemplary packaging embodiments for the marine vibrator; and

FIGS. 2A through 2D present elevation drawings showing four different exemplary deployment embodiments for a sub-array of marine vibrators.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Aspects of the present invention provide methods to package and deploy a marine vibrator for use in connection with marine seismic surveys. A number of different exemplary embodiments are presented which describe how the marine vibrator is packaged and deployed. In a first exemplary embodiment, as discussed further below in conjunction with FIGS. 1A and 2A, the components associated with a marine vibrator (e.g., low frequency electro-acoustic projector, power electronics, control-monitoring electronics, and pressure compensation means) are packaged in a positively buoyant hydrodynamic tow body containing active control surfaces to adjust the submergence depth and maintain a proper roll attitude. Multiple marine vibrators of this design can optionally be arranged to form a line array which is towed by a survey vessel via an umbilical. Multiple line arrays of this type can be configured as a planar or volumetric array.

In a second exemplary embodiment, as discussed further below in conjunction with FIGS. 1B and 2B, the aforementioned marine vibrator components are packaged within a free-flooding, load-bearing frame (or truss) which uses buoyancy foam or some equivalent means to render it positively buoyant. The position of the buoyancy foam within the frame is designed to facilitate passive roll control/stability by virtue of having the center-of-buoyancy higher in elevation than the center-of-gravity. Multiple marine vibrators of this design can optionally be arranged to form a line array which is towed by a survey vessel via an umbilical. The submergence depth and straightness of the array is controlled through the use of static forces in the vertical and horizontal directions resulting from a surface float, umbilical, depressor, and drogue. Multiple line arrays of this type can optionally be configured as a planar or volumetric array.

In a third exemplary embodiment, as discussed further below in conjunction with FIGS. 1C and 2C, the aforementioned components are packaged within a free-flooding, load-bearing frame (or truss) without the use of buoyancy foam, thus rendering the marine vibrator negatively buoyant. Multiple marine vibrators of this design can optionally be arranged to form a line array that is suspended from a surface float which in turn is towed by a survey vessel via an umbilical. The submergence depth of the array is controlled using a series of winches positioned in the surface float. Multiple line arrays of this type can be configured as a planar or volumetric array.

In a fourth exemplary embodiment, as discussed further below in conjunction with FIGS. 1C and 2D, the aforementioned components are packaged within a free-flooding, load-bearing frame (or truss) without the use of buoyancy foam, thus rendering the marine vibrator negatively buoyant. Multiple marine vibrators of this design can optionally be arranged to form a line array that is suspended from a surface float. The forward-most element in the line array serves as the connection point for an umbilical which is used to tow the array from a survey vessel. The submergence depth of the array is controlled using a series of winches positioned in the surface float. Multiple line arrays of this type can optionally be configured as a planar or volumetric array.

FIG. 1A presents an elevation drawing showing a first exemplary packaging embodiment 100 a for the disclosed marine vibrator. From the perspective of viewing marine vibrator 100 a from the outside, it is seen that marine vibrator 100 a is comprised of hydrodynamic tow body 110 a which houses electro-acoustic underwater sound projector 120 a. The projector employs compliantly suspended piston 122 a which vibrates the water at low frequencies using a transducer that resides inside tow body 110 a. For a more detailed discussion of compliantly suspended pistons, see, for example, C. H. Sherman and J. L. Butler, Transducers and Arrays for Underwater Sound, pages 51 and 54 (Springer, 1997).

Other features that reside in tow body 110 a include, but are not limited to, power electronics to condition and amplify an electrical analog of the waveform that is used to drive the transducer, control-monitoring electronics which provide local control authority and real-time monitoring of all the components and sub-systems, one or more storage tanks (and associated piping and valve network) containing high-pressure gas such as dry air or dry nitrogen to compensate piston 122 a as a result of submergence in water, and one or more batteries to provide a temporary source of electrical power to the control-monitoring system during deployment and retrieval operations when power from a survey vessel which deploys marine vibrator 110 a may not available.

Hydrodynamic control surfaces 130 a are used to control the submergence depth of tow body 110 a which is designed to be positively buoyant. Control surfaces 130 a also provide the means to maintain proper roll attitude of tow body 110 a so that the force vector from the transducer which drives piston 122 a is always perpendicular to the Earth's gravity vector. In this way compliantly suspended piston 122 a will not statically deflect inward or outward under the action of gravity.

FIG. 1B presents an elevation drawing showing a second exemplary packaging embodiment 100 b for the disclosed marine vibrator. From the perspective of viewing marine vibrator 100 b from the outside, it is seen that marine vibrator 100 b is comprised of numerous components that are positioned inside free-flooding, load-bearing frame (or truss) 110 b which serves as the tow body. The components shown within frame 110 b include electro-acoustic underwater sound projector 120 b with compliantly suspended piston 122 b, power electronics module 130 b, control-monitoring electronics module 140 b, pressure compensation means including a compressed gas storage tank 150 b, and battery 160 b. All of these components have substantially the same functionality and performance to those described herein for marine vibrator 100 a. The only significant difference is how they are packaged.

Marine vibrator 100 b is designed to be positively buoyant and employs buoyancy module 170 b to offset the weight of the other components. Buoyancy module 170 b is typically comprised of either closed-cell foam, syntactic foam, or an air-filled enclosure. Buoyancy module 170 b is positioned within frame 110 b so that the center-of-buoyancy is above the center-of-gravity in order to impart a passive righting moment to the tow body so that proper roll attitude is maintained. In the event additional roll control is desired, a vertical fin can be added. These features taken separately or together obviate the need for the active control surfaces described for marine vibrator 100 a. Depth control for marine vibrator 100 b is described later in this section. Further, because all of the components are contained within a load-bearing frame, which can be outfitted with shock isolation mounts and bumpers, embodiment 100 b is expected to be more robust to the rigors of deployment/retrieval operations than embodiment 100 a.

FIG. 1C presents an elevation drawing showing a third exemplary packaging embodiment 100 c for the disclosed marine vibrator. From the perspective of viewing marine vibrator 100 c from the outside, it is seen that marine vibrator 100 c is identical to marine vibrator 100 b with the exception that marine vibrator 100 c does not employ a buoyancy module. As such, marine vibrator 100 c is negatively buoyant. For completeness, marine vibrator 100 c comprises free-flooding, load-bearing frame 110 c, electro-acoustic underwater sound projector 120 c with compliantly suspended piston 122 c, power electronics module 130 c, control-monitoring electronics module 140 c, compressed gas storage tank 150 c, and battery 160 c. All of these components have substantially the same functionality and performance to those described herein for marine vibrator 100 b. Depth and roll control for marine vibrator 100 c is described later in this section.

FIG. 2A presents an elevation drawing showing a first exemplary deployment embodiment 200 a for the marine vibrator 100 a described in FIG. 1A. As shown in FIG. 2A, the first embodiment considers a line array (i.e., a sub-array) containing three marine vibrators, for example. In practice, the number of elements in the array and how many arrays are deployed is dictated by the seismic survey requirements. The three-element array concept presented in FIG. 2A is hypothetical, but fully illustrates the deployment embodiments associated with the present invention.

Deployment embodiment 200 a of FIG. 2A shows marine vibrators 210 a towed and interconnected by umbilical 220 a beneath water surface 230 a. Umbilical 220 a is a flexible, load-bearing structure that is connected to a survey vessel (not shown) up to 1 km away and has functionality to transmit electrical power, transmit and receive data, and transmit compressed gas pursuant to operation of marine vibrators 220 a. The compressed to gas is used to replenish that supplied by the aforementioned storage tank upon initial deployment. Recall that the gas in the storage tank is used to compensate the piston resulting from the hydrostatic loads associated with submergence in water. A local source of compressed gas is preferred considering the latency issues of providing the gas directly from the survey vessel located up to 1 km away.

As discussed previously, marine vibrators 200 a employ self-contained system hydrodynamic control surfaces 130 a (shown in FIG. 1A) to change/maintain depth and proper roll attitude. This results in very little surface expression and is attractive for marine seismic surveys that are performed in Arctic waters where floating ice is a hazard.

FIG. 2B presents an elevation drawing showing a second exemplary deployment embodiment 200 b for the marine vibrator 100 b described in FIG. 1B. Deployment embodiment 200 b of FIG. 2B shows marine vibrators 210 b towed and interconnected by umbilical 220 b beneath water surface 230 b. Umbilical 220 b has substantially the same functionality of that described earlier for embodiment 200 a. The submergence depth of marine vibrators 210 b is controlled by the confluence of forces resulting from the location of surface float 240 b, depressor 250 b, and drogue 260 b. That is, the weight of umbilical 220 b spanning the distance between surface float 240 b and depressor 250 b is used to submerge marine vibrators 210 b. Accordingly, the position of surface float 240 b determines the submergence depth wherein the position is controlled by cable 270 b which is connected to a winch on the survey vessel (not shown). Surface float 240 b employs guide system (e.g., spring-actuated pinch rollers or equivalent means) 242 b to facilitate the positioning process. Depressor 250 b and drogue 260 b provide the requisite downward and horizontal forces on the towed assembly so that marine vibrators 210 b are straight and level during seismic survey operations. Here it is noted that in embodiment 200 b, the umbilical interconnects all the components except drogue 250 b which is connected to the last element in the array via tether 280 b.

It should be stated that alternate umbilical configurations are possible in connection with embodiment 200 b. For example, umbilical 220 b can optionally terminate at depressor 250 b and a mechanical strength member can be used as the means to interconnect marine vibrators 210 b with depressor 250 b. Electrical power, duplex data, and compressed gas would be facilitated through a network of smaller, flexible umbilicals that are routed from depressor 250 b to marine vibrators 210 b on a one-to-one correspondence basis. In this way depressor 250 b also serves as a forward electronics module.

Embodiment 200 b is well-suited, for example, for deep-water surveys that require marine vibrators to be deployed to depths of nominally 5 m or more.

FIG. 2C presents an elevation drawing showing a third exemplary deployment embodiment 200 c for the marine vibrator 100 c described in FIG. 1C. Deployment embodiment 200 c of FIG. 2C shows marine vibrators 210 c suspended from surface float 220 c and towed beneath water surface 230 c using umbilical 240 c, which is connected to the forward end of surface float 220 c. Umbilical 240 c has substantially the same functionality as that described earlier for embodiment 200 a. The submergence depth of marine vibrators 210 c is controlled by adjusting the length of load-bearing cables 242 c using a series of winches (not shown) positioned in surface float 220 c. Umbilical 240 c is broken out into network of smaller, flexible umbilicals 244 c in order to facilitate transmission of electrical power, duplex data, and compressed gas to marine vibrators 210 c. The breakout is accomplished using means (not shown) positioned in surface float 220 c.

Embodiment 200 c is inherently stable from a roll attitude standpoint and well-suited, for example, for shallow- or deep-water surveys that require marine vibrators to be deployed to depths of nominally 5 m or less. Of the three deployment embodiments disclosed herein, embodiment 200 c is considered the best for marine seismic surveys performed in the transition zone.

FIG. 2D presents an elevation drawing showing a fourth exemplary deployment embodiment 200 d for the marine vibrator 100 c described in FIG. 1C. Deployment embodiment 200 d of FIG. 2D shows marine vibrators 210 d suspended from surface float 220 d and towed beneath water surface 230 d using umbilical 240 d, which is connected to the forward-most marine vibrator 210 d. Umbilical 240 d has substantially the same functionality as that described earlier for embodiment 200 a. The submergence depth of marine vibrators 210 d is controlled by adjusting the length of load-bearing cables 242 d using a series of winches (not shown) positioned in surface float 220 d. Umbilical 240 a also serves as the interconnect tow cable between all marine vibrators 210 d in the array and facilitates transmission of electrical power, duplex data, and compressed gas to marine vibrators 210 d.

Embodiment 200 d is inherently stable from a roll-attitude standpoint and well-suited, for example, for shallow- or deep-water surveys that require marine vibrators to be deployed to depths of nominally 5 m or less. Further, embodiment 200 d offers flexibility (relative to embodiment 200 c) in the tow point connection for the umbilical so that it is compatible with the seismic survey requirements and survey vessel capabilities for deployment and recovery.

Though not shown in FIGS. 2A through 2D, position of line arrays as per embodiments 200 a, 200 b, 200 c, and 200 d can be determined through a combination of acoustic means (i.e., ultra-short baseline positioning system) and global positioning system transceivers strategically located on the sub-surface and surface components, including the survey vessel, as appropriate.

CONCLUSION

One or more embodiments of the invention provide methods to package and deploy a marine vibrator for use in connection with marine seismic surveys The foregoing applications and associated embodiments should be considered as illustrative only, and numerous other embodiments can be configured using the techniques disclosed herein, in a wide variety of different marine seismic applications.

It should also be understood that the marine vibrator configurations, as described herein, can be implemented at least in part in the form of one or more software programs stored in memory and executed by a processor of a processing device such as a computer. A memory or other storage device having such program code embodied therein is an example of what is more generally referred to herein as a “computer program product.”

The disclosed marine vibrator configurations may be implemented, at least in part, using one or more processing platforms. One or more of the processing modules or other components may therefore each run on a computer, storage device or other processing platform element. A given such element may be viewed as an example of what is more generally referred to as a “processing device.”

It is thus to be understood that the embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and that various modifications may be implemented by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A marine vibrator, comprising: a free-flooding, load-bearing frame, wherein the free-flooding, load-bearing frame is suspended from a surface float and comprises: a low frequency electro-acoustic projector; a power electronics system; a control-monitoring electronics system; and a pressure compensation system, wherein said marine vibrator is negatively buoyant and wherein a submergence depth of the marine vibrator is primarily controlled using one or more winches positioned in the surface float that suspend the marine vibrator from the surface float by one or more load-bearing cable assemblies connected to the marine vibrator, wherein a tow point is located on one or more of a forward end of the surface float with respect to the direction in which the marine vibrator is towed and from a forward end of the free-flooding, load-bearing frame with respect to the direction in which the marine vibrator is towed, wherein a plurality of the marine vibrators is arranged in a line array, and wherein the submergence depth of the marine vibrator is controlled separately from the submergence depth of at least one other marine vibrator in the line array.
 2. The marine vibrator of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the marine vibrators is arranged in a line array and suspended directly below the surface float and towed by a survey vessel via a load-bearing, flexible umbilical and comprising functionality to transmit one or more of electrical power, data, and compressed gas to said line array and to receive data from said line array.
 3. The marine vibrator of claim 1, wherein at least one winch of the one or more winches is positioned within an interior space of the surface float.
 4. The marine vibrator of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the line arrays is positioned to form a planar or volumetric array towed beneath the water surface by a survey vessel.
 5. The marine vibrator of claim 1, wherein said free-flooding, load-bearing frame further comprises a source of local electrical power and high-pressure gas.
 6. The marine vibrator of claim 1, wherein the marine vibrator has a fixed negative buoyancy.
 7. The marine vibrator of claim 1, wherein the submergence depth of the marine vibrator depends on the lengths of the one or more load-bearing cable assemblies that suspend the marine vibrator. 